The invention relates to compressed gas switches of the type having two cylindrical contacts within a gas filled casing 1.
A switch of this type is described in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,139,752, in particular FIGS. 1 to 5. In this switch, the arc drawn between the contacts during a switching process is extinguished by means of insulating gas which is heated by the arc and is stored in a hot volume surrounding the contacts. By this means, additional devices for generating an extinguishing gas flow are made unnecessary and the switch drive can be kept small. However, this switch cannot, without further modifications, be installed in any switch position because of its central feed at the fixed contact.